POPE LEO XIV CLOSES OUT A DEFINING FIRST HALF OF 2026.

The *American-born* pontiff has had a season of major moves. He formally placed a traditionalist splinter group tied to the SSPX in a state of schism after they went ahead and ordained bishops without Rome's blessing — a step popes rarely take. He's also stepped more visibly onto the world stage, weighing in on AI and global conflict, before heading off for a working summer break at Castel Gandolfo, the Vatican's longtime warm-weather retreat south of Rome, where he's reportedly taken up tennis and swimming during his downtime.